“We welcome today’s sentence which followed the conviction of George Gray of what was an extremely serious sexual assault on this young student.

“The fact that Gray put his victim through the ordeal of giving evidence added to her distress and we would like to acknowledge her courage throughout the investigation and subsequent trial.

“The victim’s strength of character has shone throughout this entire process and she is extremely satisfied and relieved with the jury’s verdict. It has been a very traumatic time for her and her family and hopefully this result will help to bring closure for them all.

“This result is the culmination of 14 months dedicated work by the investigation team and prosecution.

“We hope this outcome will give confidence to any victim of a sexual assault that their case will be investigated with equal sensitivity, commitment and support through the criminal justice process.”